Nautiloid
The Nautiloid is a massive species of Tyranid that looks like an overgrown nautiloid on land. Carrying a massive shell that looks like it can tank a number of hits, its mid- and rear-limbs are fused into a pseudopod and Lash Whip combination.
Not much is known about this critter other than appearing in a rather elusive and unknown Warhammer 40,000 Collectible Card Game. It is unknown what its main purpose was as its assumed slow speed and lack of range weapons makes the Nautiloid... mysterious. It could be assumed that it is only dropped when the Hive Mind knows there are very few defenses on a planet, and drops these suckers in to help gobble up any microbial or hard-to-suck-out organisms. Heck, they might be the ones responsible of sucking out the planet's micro-organisms in the first place, only ever showing up once all multi-cellular life has been wiped out.
Tabletop Fan-Rules[edit]
As it stands there are no official rules for this model, which is a shame because a. They exist in the fluff (but when has that ever stopped GW, to be fair though there are hundreds of characters and models which don’t have fluff) and b. It would be a model with Titan levels of toughness, but nowhere near the firepower or speed, existing as either an ultimate tar pit or distraction carnifex (the fex dreams that it could be this durable). (There's always the Gatanothor figure). The 7th and 8th edition rules for this monster have it being even tougher than a land raider, 8th edition lascannons will only wound this thing on a 4+. This does beg the question, why is the hive mind throwing around such a tough beast AFTER everything except single cell life has been destroyed?
7th edition[edit]
Nautiloid Pts/model: 430 | WS: 4 | BS: 2 | S: 6 | T: 10 | W: 6 | I: 1 | A: 4 | Ld: 10 | Sv: 2+ |
Unit Composition: 1 Nautiloid
Unit Type: Gargantuan Creature
Weapons and Biomorphs: Scything Talons Lash Whips Regeneration Armoured Shell Impaling Tendril
Impaling Tendril 24",S9,AP 3,Ignores cover,Drag,Homing Any model smaller or equal in size to the Nautiloid can be dragged until it's B2B with the Nautiloid,or until it reaches an obstacle.
Special Rules: Slow and Purposeful Anaphylactic Shock
Anaphylactic Shock: Nautiloid's lash whips are tipped with poisonous barbs, when these pierce or rasp the flesh of an organism. The toxins contained within cause the skin to blister and swell almost immediately. Due to their extreme toxicity, any wounds from the Nautiloid cause Instant Death. This does not affect Daemons, including C’tan and the Eldar Avatar.
8th edition[edit]
A Nautiloid is a single model. It is equipped with a single pair of Monstrous Scything Talons, a Lash Whip pod and an Impaling Tendril.
| Name | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | A | Ld | Sv | Points | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nautiloid | 5" | 4+ | 2+ | 6 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 2+ | 120 | 6 |
| Weapon | Range | Type | S | AP | D | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monstrous Scything Talons | Melee | Melee | +4 | -3 | D3 | You may re-roll hit rolls of 1 for this weapon. |
| Impaling Tendril | 18" | Heavy 1 | 9 | -4 | D6 | You may reroll failed hit rolls for this weapon. Models with the VEHICLE or MONSTER keyword which are damaged by this weapon are dragged 3D6" towards this model. On a 4+ on a D6, that model also suffers a mortal wound. |
| Lash Whip pod | Melee | Melee | User | -1 | 1 | Make 2 hit rolls for each attack with this weapon instead of 1. |
Abilities:
- Regeneration: The hive fleet ensures that its hardiest monstrosities are capable of repairing any damage which might get through its armoured exterior.
- At the beginning of your turn roll a D6, on a 4+ this model regains D3 previously lost wounds.
- Armoured Shell: Despite its size and exposed squishy parts, the Nautiloid possess multiple layers of overlapping and intertwined chitinous plating, rendering all but the heaviest of armaments worthless as the beast glides unfazed towards assailants.
- This model treats weapons of AP -1 or -2 as being AP 0.
- Anaphylactic Shock: The Nautiloid's weapons are coated in bio-acids and toxins designed to incapacitate any target, capable of halting even the unstoppable Necron warriors for a time.
- Ever time a unit suffers an unsaved wound from this model roll a D6. On a 4+ the unit suffers a -1 to all its hit rolls and -1 to its movement characteristic until the next turn. Vehicles are affected on a 5+ and TITANIC units are unaffected by this ability unless they suffer 7 or more damage from this model in a single phase, in which case they are affected on a 5+ on a D6 as well.
- Unstoppable and Steady: The Nautiloid glides across the ground towards its target, aim and speed unaffected by its surroundings.
- This model may not advance, but it does not suffer hit penalties for moving and firing heavy weapons, is not slowed by terrain, and may not suffer any negative modifiers to its movement characteristic.
Keywords:
- Faction: <Hive Fleet>, Faction: Tyranids, Heavy Support, Monster, Nautiloid
Tactics[edit]
The nautiloid is an absolute beast when it comes to absorbing damage, at toughness 9, 12 wounds, an average of 1 wound regenerated each turn and ignoring any armour piercing effects below ap -3, it will take around 16.5 lascannon shots (from a bs4+ source) to take it down, anything weaker than a lascannon will NEVER kill it (unless the dice gods are feeling particularly cruel). Ranged wise it’s a reasonable threat to vehicles and monsters due to its ranged tentacle and the chance to cause a mortal wound plus its ability to drag stuff. In melee it’s no slouch either, mostly because it’s attacks have a chance to cause a -1 to a unit's hit and wound characteristic, this combined with its toughness makes it an excellent tarpit unit, if it wasn’t for its 5” movement and inability to advance (admittedly it will always have a 5” movement regardless of negative modifiers).
This puts the nautiloid in an interesting position, as it wants to be far ahead of your army or on the flanks slowing stuff down/killing stuff, but it lacks the movement speed to effectively do this without outside help (everything else the tyranids have being 6”+), making it somewhat situational unless used by an excellent general who anticipates where it needs to be and supports it correctly.